Ramming machine



A. A. LANDON RAMMING MACHINE May 7, 1929.

Filed May 10, 192s sflsneets sneet y 1929- A. A. LANDON 4 1,954

' RAMMING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet, 5

swam 1130c Patented May 7, 1929.

UNETED STATES ARCHER A. LANDON, OE BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

RAMMING MACHINE.

Application filed May 10,

This invention relates to a ramming machine for molding flasks and is more particularly intended to be used in a system for the continuous production of metal castings and operates to ram or tamp the sand in the cope or drag of the flask about the pattern preparatory to the removal of the pattern and the pouring of the metal into the flask.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a relatively light and compact machine for this purpose which will thoroughly tamp the sand about the pattern and which can quickly be rendered operative and inoperative thereby decreasing the time required for this operation and increasing production.

A further object is to provide such a machine which can be readily adapted to produce a greater pressure at any place on the surface of the sand and thereby facilitate the production of irregular castings.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the ramming machine and shows a portion of the gantry and bench with a drag or cope mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on line 38, Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on line 4i l, Fig. 1.

v Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical section oi the rammer and driving shaft of a modified form or my invention.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section line 6 6, Fig. 5. 1

In its general organization this invention comprises a frame which is. movable vertically toward and from the bench upon which the filled cope or dragfis placed, which irame carries a plurality of rammers which rest on the surface of thesand and are raised and lowered at different periods so that the weight of the group oi? rammers is successively concontra-ted on different, portions oil the surface of the sand as the ramming machine is operated.

The frame indicated generally at 7 which carries the ramming mechanism is supported by gantry or overhead supporting structure 8 of any suitable form which extends over the track on which theempty copes and drags taken on are brought to the ramming machineand the filled flasks aiepropellecl to the pouring -machine. Preferably two ramming machines are provided, one on each side of the track,

1926. Serial in). 108,061.

so that the cope and drag can be rammed at the same time. Under each of the rammer frames, a bench 9 is provided upon which the pattern plate 10, cope or drag 11 and strike oil strip 12 are placed, andlilled with sand 13 from a suitable hopper (not shown).

The frame which carries the ramming mechanism comprises verticalend plates 14 and a horizontal top plate 15 which issecured at its opposite ends to the upper ends of the end plates by bolts 16. Between the end plates 14 a plurality of rammers are mounted and guidedbetiveen guide blocksl7 which are arranged in horizontal rows at the upper and lower ends of the end plates and areheld in place by the tie bolts'18 which extend through the endplates and each of the guide blocks. As best shown in Fig. 4, each of the guide blocks is of I-shape in cross section, the recesses of adjacent blocksaligning and forming guidewayslE) for the shanks ofthe rammers, and the end plates are provided with inwardly extending haltv guide blocks 20 which co-operate with the full guide blocks at the outer ends of the rows of blocks to form similar guideways for the shanks of the end rammers.

r In addition to supporting the upper row of guide blocks on the tie bolts 18, one or 1 more of the guide blocks at the center of the row are provided with upward extensions 44iwhich are secured to the under side of the .top plate by bolts 45.

The rammers Jeach comprise shanks 21 guided for vertical movement in the corresponding guideways 19 of the upper and lower rows of guideblooks, and a ramming head 22 formed integrally with each shank at the lower end thereof. Each ramming head is of rectangular shape and the several ramming heads are closely arrangedto form a substantially continuous ramming surface. The headof each rammer'is provided with a removable shoe 23 which is secured to the head by two or more bolts 24 and on its under side is formed so as to ram the sand to a uniform density throughout, suitable projections 25 being provided where the sand is relatively deep which projections form recessed portions on the under side of the shoe where the pattern makes the sand relatively shallow.

In the drawings a pattern for a radiator section is shown and the shoes are therefore unil form throughout, but if an irregular casting is to be made, larger shoes can be substituted on the rammers wh ch are arranged above shank 30 of the rammer.

the thin parts of the pattern and an increased compressing effect thereby brought on the sand at these points.

The raising and lowering of the rammers is effected by a cam shaft 26 which is journaled atits opposite ends in the end plates 14; and is driven in any suitable manner from an electric motor 27 mounted on thetop plate 15 as by a chain drive 28. At the center of each of the shanks of the ranin'iers between the upper and lower rows of guide blocks, the shanks are enlarged and formed with open ings 29 in which the cam shaft 26 is arranged. As best shown in 2 the openings 29 are substantially equal in height to the diameter of the cam shaft so that the rammer is forcibly raised and lowered and the opening is ider'than the throw of the cam portion 26 of the shaft to eliminate side thrust.

To raise and lower the different rammers at different periods the cam portions on the cam shaft which actuate each rammer are offset relatively to each other as best indicated in Fig. 1, and these cam portions are preferably set to effect an undulatory or wave like motion from the outer ends of the group to ward the center, the two outermost rammers being lowered first and being followed by the next succeeding rammers, this action being continued in pairs to the central rammers which operate together. By this means the machine tends to even surface inequalities and differences in the density of the sand.

Int-he modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 a similar frame is employed and the rammer is provided with a short shank 30 which is formed at its front and rear edges 31 to form guides. on pair of spaced bars 32 are suitably supported at thcircnds on the supporting frame and are provided with recesses 33 on their opposing sides above each rammer which receive and guide the front and rear edges 31 of the shanks. The vertical movem it ofeach rammcr is effected by a'crank shaft 3st having a plurality of crank arms 35 each of which is connected in any suitable manner by a connecting rod '36 with the The crank arms 35 are preferably set to produce an undulatory movement of the rammers as in the pre fcrrcd construction.

The frame 7 which carries the rai'nming mechanism into and out of its operative position is suspended fromthe supporting struc ture by a. plurality of guide rods 37 which are secured at their lower ends to the top plate 15 of the frame and have sliding engagement at their upper ends with suitably arranged cross beams of the supporting structure. To adjustably limit the downward movement of the frame, the upper ends of the guide rods 37 are threaded and provided with nuts 38 which provide an adjustable stop for the downward movement of the frame.

When the ramming operation is completed, the frame carrying the ramming mechanism is elevated to an inoperative position by an air hoist which comprises a vertical cylinder 39 mount-ed on the supporting structure and a piston 40 connected by a piston rod ll with the top plate of the rannner frame. Compressed air is supplied to the lower end of the cylinder by a pipe 42 which extends down wardl y and at a point within convenient reach of the operator, is provided with a threeway valve 43 by which compressed air is admitted and drained from the cylinder to raise and lower the ramming mechanism to its inoperative and operative positions.

When the ramming machine is in use the entire weight of the rammers, together with the guiding and actuating mechanism therefor rests on the sand and the pressure of this weight and the pounding effect on the sand is successively and progressively applied to different parts of the mass of sand in accordance with the alternation in the rising and falling movement of the several rammers. The effect is very much the same as if the sand were stamped by a man standing in the sand-filled flask section and alternately shifting his weight from one foot to the other, but at all times would the full weight of the man be resting on the sand and at the same time receive an added impact due to the stamping action.

As the rammers should rest at all times on the sand the stops 38 only come into play if the rammers are lowered when no sahddilled "ask is underneath the same.

As a. whole this ramming machine is very light and compact considering the function which it performs, it is adapted to be used under widely varying conditions, and it tends to compensate for inequalities in the sand and pattern and thereby produce a uniform and regular mold.

I claim as my invention 1. In a ramming machine ofthe character described, a frame, a plurality of rammers arranged in a longitudinal row each comprising an a pertured shank guided at its upper and lower ends in said frame and a ramming head arranged at the lower end of said shank, and means for raising and lowering said rammers at different periods comprising a horizontal cam shaft journaled at its opposite ends in said frame and penetrating the apertures in each of said rammers, said cam shaft having cam port-ions for reciprocating each iammei. and said cam portions being offset, and means for driving said cam shaft.

2. In a ramming machine of the character described, a frame comprising vertical end plates and a plurality of recessed guidebloclzs arranged in horizontal rows at the upper and lower ends of said end plates, and tie bolts extending through said guide blocks and end plates, a plurality of vertically movable rammers arranged in a longitudinal row, each of which comprises an apertured shank guided at its upper and lower ends in the guideways formed by said recessed guide blocks and a ramming head arranged at the lower end of said shank and means for raising and lowering said rammers at difierent periods comprising a horizontal cam shaft journaled at its opposite ends in said end plates and penetrating the apertures in each of said rammers and having a cam portion for reciprocating each rammer, the cam portions being offset relative to each other, and means for driving said cam shaft.

3. In a ramming machine of the character described, a supporting structure, a frame arranged beloW said structure and movably supported and guided thereon, a ramming mechanism carried by said frame, means for driving said ramming mechanism carried by said frame, and means for raising and lowering said frame relatively to said structure com prising a vertical cylinder mounted on said structure, a piston arranged in said cylinder, a piston rod connecting said piston and frame, and means for introducing fluid into said cylinder and raising said piston.

4. In a ramming machine of the character described, a frame comprising vertical end plates and a plurality of recessed guide blocks arranged in horizontal rows at the upper and lower ends of said end plates, tie bolts extending through said guide blocks and end plates, a plurality of vertically movable rammers arranged in a longitudinal row each of said rammers including a shank guided at itsupper and lower ends in the recesses of said blocks and a ramming head arranged at the lower end of each of said shanks and means for reciprocating said rammers.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARCHER A. LANDON. 

